THE AMERICAN BOTANIST. 109 



blossoms to tlie same rough treatment, leaving them all gaping 

 open at the to]). Of course the gentian has got to be cross- 

 fertilized in some way, but to be witness to the proceeding, is 

 certainly interesting. The bee accomplished all this in a sur- 

 prisingly short time, and somehow it looked funny. I believe, 

 the bumble-bees are real burglars in their quest of honey. 

 When Ihey find a flower so constructed, that it is difficult to 

 get at the nectar, they break in. The torn labellum of the Cy- 

 pripcdiitins, that one sometimes meets with, and damages done 

 to other flowers of com])licated construction, I am inclined, to 

 lay at their door. — /. C. Buchhcister, Nczv York. [Mr. 

 lUichheisler is correct in his estimate of the bumble-bee's 

 actions. More than a hundred different species of flowers 

 arc known that ai"e systematically robbed by the bees. Most of 

 these produce their nectar in parts too remote to be easily 

 reached by the bee in tlie conventional manner so he bites 

 through from the exterior. Not the least remarkable feature 

 of this operation is the fact that the l)ce knows enough to go 

 direct to the nectar bearing spots from the outside. Apparently 

 it retpiires considerable reasoning for this. — Ed.l 



LoNc;-Livi:i) Seeds. — Recent experiments seem to show 

 that st)me seeds can retain their vitality for nearly 250 years. 

 The greatest tuimber of long-lived seeds are found among the 

 Leguminc^sae the family that includes the familiar beans, peas, 

 clovers and lupines of our gardens and fields. 



Cn.\NGES IN X'loi.ET LEAVES. — This season I obsened 

 the peculiar action ^^i a specimen of Viola orafa. It was ovata 

 sure enough, when 1 saw it lirst. Then it had more flowers 

 than leaves, and these latter were of the usual egg shaped 

 form and densely pubescent. It was a fine plant, so I took it 

 up and home. plaiUed it in a pot and left it on the windowsill. 

 It did all right, and when it had passed flowering, the leaves 



